Love in Debt
by Isabella Jaymes
Summary: Bella hates everything about Edward but both of them have no choice but to live the life they are forced to have. Bella x Edward. Canon Pairings. Have fun.


**Author's Note: Hey guys! This is my first ever fanfic so please help me with all your constructive criticisms. Have fun!**

** Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight, I own my laptop and the plot. =)**

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**Chapter 1 - BPOV**

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Phoenix, Arizona– September 13, 2010

My name is Bella Swan, and today, my whole life changed.

When I woke up this morning, I half expected my father to be in my room and will be singing an out of tune "Happy Birthday" to me. But I was wrong. When I woke up, the house was empty. My father had gone somewhere and I was all alone on my _birthday._

Luckily, my best friend, Angela, sent me a text greeting me a 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY BELLA! ' Well, at least someone remembered. Angela was my best friend since grade school. She was there for me through it all. When my mom died two years ago, she was my shoulder to cry on. I am grateful for her because I know that she loves me for who I am and not for my money.

My dad- Charlie- owns a company here in Phoenix. Before when my mom was still alive, she was one of the great painters in the country. That talent of hers was luckily passed on to me. I love to paint, but after my mom's death, I stopped painting altogether.

After twenty minutes, I decided to go to school since I don't want to be alone in our house. I really don't like being alone. On my way, I grabbed an apple and my watermelon shake. I wasn't really in a hurry since it's still 7:30 and my first period will still be on 8.

When I reached Phoenix High, the parking lot wasn't really full of cars yet but I can already see students here and there. I went to the bleachers and listened to my iPod. I was absorbing the heat from the sun and I didn't notice that students are already arriving. I didn't have many friends because got really picky when it comes to friends. Before, I had a circle of girlfriends but one time, I was inside the bathroom cubicle when I overheard one of my friends talking about me. And believe me, it wasn't something you can easily forget. And so since then, I decided to just befriend someone who is true to me. It was funny that my group of friends narrowed down to only one, but having Angela as a friend is more than enough. I can't imagine not being with her.

I didn't notice the time until the bells are ringing and I saw Angie running towards me.

"Bella! Come on were going to be late!" She said in a rush as she nearly dragged me to our first period. I was laughing hard that she stopped us in the middle of the hallway.

"What's so funny? Do you mind sharing it with me?" She said, trying to sound angry. But I knew better, Angie never gets mad for something like that.

"Nothing, it's just that you're always afraid to be late when Mr. Smith rarely shows up in class."

"I know. Old habits die-hard, you know." She said in a matter-of-fact tone but she stopped running. "So Bella, Happy Birthday!" She said to me and I shushed her. She just shrugged me off. When we arrived at our classroom, I was right, there are only five persons in the classroom and all of them are just doing nothing. I gave my I-told-you-so look to Angie and she just smiled at me. After we were seated, I noticed that she opened her bag and got something.

She handed me that something which is actually a box with a bow on top. I gasped and she laughed silently. "Do you honestly think I won't give you for your birthday!? Bella, it's your eighteenth birthday. I can't just let it pass without giving you something." She said then she forced me to open the box. To say that I was surprised is an understatement. Inside is a cute locket with a picture of me and Angie laughing.

"Do you like it?" Angie asked and I shook my head. She looked hurt and sad but I assure d her.

"I don't like it because I love it!" She gleamed and she hugged me and I hugged her back.

She helped me wear the locket. It is gorgeous. I'll never gonna remove it.

After a few minutes, a few of our classmates were arriving so we just stopped talking. The rest of the day was a blur, and before I knew it Angie was telling me "bye" and both of us drove home.

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When I arrived home, I saw two cars on the driveway. I went inside our house and I saw dad with another man and a woman. They are so beautiful. They are probably the most gorgeous people I ever saw in my life.

''Bella,'' dad called my attention though I am already looking at them.

''Hello dad,'' I greeted him and I smiled at his visitors. They returned the gesture and it made them even more beautiful.

"I think you should sit down first. We have something to tell you." I can tell that my dad is uncomfortable because he was fidgeting.

"Okay, what is it?" I am getting nervous about this and considering that he never greeted me a Happy Birthday makes it more unnerving.

"Last year was a difficult year for me. Our business was having problems and it was on the verge on bankruptcy. And so to save it, I decided to borrow money from different people. I don't know what happened but the company was still beyond repair. Instead of earning profit, it was still gaining nothing. The money I owed to those creditors was still unpaid and the interest was growing. One of the people I owed money was now asking for my payment and I can't give them what they want because I don't have anything to give them." He stopped talking and he put his head on his hands.

"This happened a year ago and you never told me anything? I thought that we were having a great year!" I really never noticed that he was having problems with his company. And I thought we were _rich!_

"I know Bells, I'm sorry. And the worst part of it is James, is now asking me the money with the full interest. I may not know him personally but I know what he is capable of. He is a dangerous man Bella. I have heard from other people that in return for the money, he is getting what he want from that person. And I have a feeling that he will get you."

I blanched. What the hell was happening? Just hours ago, I was smiling ear to ear because of Angie's gift. But now I'm about to be made as payment to something? Come on!

"And so to stop him from getting you, I asked for money from my best friend in college. Carlisle Cullen and his wife gave me the money I needed to pay to my debts and for me to able to restart the business." I sighed in relief; I really thought that would just give me to that James guy.

"Thank you so much Mr. and Mrs. Cullen for helping my dad out. We will try all our best to pay you back the money." They looked at each other then looked at my dad, my dad then looked at me. _What's with the looking contest?_

"Bella, there's no need for us to pay them in return."

"Oh, really? How did that happen?" Did they just gave him wads of money because their friends? What are they? Pooping their own money that their just giving it away?

"Bella, I may pay James the money I owed him but there are still many people who are after me. Just this morning I received threats. And most of them aren't for me. It's for you. You are not safe here with me. So when I told Carlisle about me asking him the money, I made you as my payment."

It's as if I was punched in my stomach and I can't breathe. That's exactly what I was feeling.

"Bella I'm sorry but believe me, I don't want to do it. It left me with no choice. I know that you'll be safer with them. I know you'll never forgive me. But always remember that I love you very much." Charlie said as I was wiping the tears with the back of my hand.

"You don't want to give me to James but you're like giving me away to your friend? You just sold me away dad!" I shrieked at him and I ran upstairs.

And that's how my day went. It started off as me celebrating my birthday and it ended with me being sold to someone I never even knew. Well, that's probably the most _amazing_ birthday someone could ever have.

And I hoped it never happened.

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**So what do you guys think? Please review and tell me about it!**

**-Isabella Jaymes**


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